Refrigerant compressor



June 25, 1935. SMITH REFRIGERANT COMPRESSOR Filed May 10, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 v 7 lN V ENTO L Y? W2 June 25, 1935. 1.. c. SMITH 2,005,959

REFRIGERQNT COMPRESSOR I 2 sheds-sheet 2 v F-i1ed May 10, 1955 INVENTOR lawns/we 6'. fly/2% ATTORNEY Patented June 25, 935

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REFRIGERANT COIVIPRESSOR Lawrence C. Smith, Kenmore, N. Y., assignor to Fedders Manufacturing Company, 1110., Butfalo, N. Y.

Application May 10, 1933, Serial No. 670,313

4 Claims.

cating oil for the working parts of the compressor are unavoidably introduced into the refrigerant circuit, and these volumes must" be removed constantly to retain the full efliciency of the system. In the present invention, an oil separating and return device is directly associated with the compressor in a compact structure including a novel valve plate arrangement wherein it will be found that the entire device is constructed in a manner calculated to simplify a compressor structure by elimination of parts and ease of accessibility as more fully pointed out in the accompanying specification and drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a compressor having the devices of the present invention incorporated therein;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1, portions of the cylinder block and head being broken away to show the valve and oil return arrangement;

Fig. 3 isa section on the line 33 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4: is a section on the line 4-t of Fig. 2.

For exemplary purposes, the present invention is shown applied to a single cylinder refrigerant compressor having a cylinder block it and a crankcase ll formed as an integral'unit. The cylinder block is bored to receive a piston 112 which is reciprocated by an eccentric and strap urnt it, the eccentric thereof being secured to a driven shaft it which is mounted in suitable bearings in the crankcase H. The crank shaft it may also carry a counterweight E5 to balance the weight of the piston during operation.

The cylinder block it is provided with a head, comprising a head casting H and a valve plate it, both of which are secured to the cylinder block it by the bolts H which extend therethrough. The head casting I1 is formed with an input chamber 28 leading to a fitting 22, having a connection with the output side of an evaporator or the like (not shown). An output chamber 23 is also formed in the head casting, and it communicates with a refrigerant condenser or the like through an output fitting 24. l

The valve plate I8 is provided with an output valve 26 which comprises a flexible strip 21 mounted within the chamber 23 by spaced studs 28 (Fig. 2) and adapted to seat on a valve seat 30 formed in the plate 18. The movement of the valve strip 21 is limited by a. bent stop member 3|, which in itself is releasable when the load of springs 32 is overcome by the compressive force of the piston H2. The input valve 35 comprises a flat strip of flexible metal bifurcated as indicated by the numeral 36 to clear the input port 31. The extremities of the bifurcations contain holes 33 for receiving dowels 39 whereby the valve is retained in position over an input port ll formed in the valve plate l8.

It is proposed to separate the oil from the gaseous refrigerant volumes directly in the input chamber 2 l, and bafile members 32 and it are positioned therein to divert the incoming gas volumes so that oil will be impinged upon them and on the walls of the chamber it before introduction of the separated gas into the bore of the compressor chamber. The bame member $2 is formed as 2. depending rib member of the casting ll, while the member 243 comprises a pipe mounted in the input port of the plate it. This pipe protects the input port All from oil volumes which may be deposited gravitationally on the bottom wall of the chamber 2i.

Oil is directed from the chamber 2i to the crankcase ll through a drilled passage i l in the valve plate El and a communicating vertical passage l5 drilled in the cylinder block ill. The lower extremity of the passage i5 is reduced in diameter as indicated by the numeral it so that only a small orifice is open to the crankcase i. It has been found advisable to provide ba es or the like in the passage it to protect the chamber El from liquid surges occasioned by pulse or back pressure effects in the crankcase M as a result of the rotation of the eccentric and counterweight members. A convenient method of forming a bame in the passage is by inserting a twisted length of metallic ribbon ll therein, whereby the helices 58 thereof are adapted to be engaged by oil which is thrown back from the crankcase It will be observed that both valves and the oil protective device 43 are mounted on the valve plate l8, and that a simple disassembly operation is all that is required to provide access to these essential portions of the compressor for replacement or repair. It will also be noted that portions of the cylinder block and valve plate IB may conveniently be utilized to contain the oil recovery passages, thus eliminating the use of extra conduits, joints" and the like.

It will be appreciated that the invention is applicable to numerous types of compressors and, therefore, it is not intended that its use be specifically limited to the type herein shown except as pursuant to the accompanying claims, wherein I claim:

1. In a refrigerant compressor the combination of a cylinder block, a crankcase, a head for the cylinder block formed with input and output ports, a valve on each port, an input chamber formed in the head and communicating with said input port, an oil passage formed in the block and connecting the input chamber to the crankcase, and a battle in the input chamber disposed about the input port to prevent oil entry therein.

2. A refrigerant compressor comprising a cylinder block, and a crankcase, a head for the block comprising a head member having input and output chambers and a valve plate interposed between the block and member, said plate having input and output ports connecting the block to said input and output passages respectively, an output valve for the output port mounted on said plate Within the output chamber, an input valve for the input port mounted on the plate and opening within the block, an oil passage in the block connecting the input chamber to the crankcase, a bafile member mounted on said plate about the input port in the input chamber to prevent oil entry therein, and an insert member in said passage forming a tortuous oil path therein to protect the input chamber from oil surges from the crankcase.

3. In a refrigerant compressor the combination of a cylinder block, a crankcase, a head for the cylinder block formed with input and output ports, a. valve on each' port, an input chamber formed. in the head and communicating with said input port, bafile means in the input chamber for gravitationally separating oil from the refrigerant gas, an oil passage formed in the block and connecting the input chamber to the crankcase, and an insert member in the passage of the block formed to provide a tortuous oil path therein to protect the input chamber from oil surges from the crankcase.

a A refrigerant compressor comprising 9. cylinder block and a crankcase, a head for the block having input and output chambers formed with input and output ports respectively, a valve on each port, a bafiie member disposed about the input port in the input chamber and terminating in spaced relation to the upper wall of said chamber, and an 011 return passage connecting the input chamber to the crankcase.

LACE C. S. 

